saving more, starts now. just for u on the safeway app. good morning. good morning. breaking news. back on the ice. the national hockey league reaches a tentative deal to end the lockout that threatened to wipe out the entire season. out rage in ohio. a small town rocked by rape accusations. protesters are pouring in from around the country calling for justice. and look what the cat dragged in. this kitty caught trying to carry saws, drills, even a cell phone behind the walls of a prison. that is not good news for the inmates apparently hoping to

break out today sunday, january inmates apparently hoping to break out today sunday, january 6th 2013. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and welcome to "today". i'm erica hill. >> i'm lester holt. i'm sure that cat had a perfectly good explanation. >> yes. >> we will get to that in a moment as to why the cat was carrying all of that. waking up to good news. looks like their favorite players will soon be back on the ice. >> a long time coming. if you didn't realize there was a hockey strike, trust us, it was a long time coming. more coming up this hour. >> also ahead -- a report that lance armstrong is considering coming clean about doping. we have an exclusive interview

with a "new york times" reporter that broke that story. david letterman opening up to oprah winfrey about the sex scandal that made him a national punchline, his rivalry with jay leno. a pretty serious side of the comedian most have never seen. al roker will be talking about his struggle with obesity, how he lost all the weight and why losing it was not the hardest part. joe biden, raoet star? some people would love to see that happen. >> some of the things that came out of his mouth introducing members of the senate. >> fairly entertaining. and duchess raising eyebrows with new items being sold by their party supply company. a live report from london. we'll tell you more about it and you can decide. >> say it ain't so. this morning's top stories from jenna. good morning. >> hi, guys. good morning to you. good morning, everyone. breaking news in the wide world of sports.

there may be nhl hockey after all this season. a tentative agreement has been reached and could save the second half of the hockey season. it was a 16-hour negotiating session in new york city that ended early this morning with a deal that still of course needs to be ratified by the players. turningover seas, syria's president assad gave a rare speech in the midst of a violent civil war. hi, stephanie. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, jenna. al assad hasn't addressed his country since june. he is rarely seen in public. today he was greeted by a packed and boisterous at times auditorium. he blamed the crisis in syria on "terrorists," including al qaeda and those countries in the region that continue to fund them. there was little to no mention of syrians that have picked up

arms against the country. he talked about a political initiative, including a new government, new constitution, and amnesty. he said that could not go forward until the foreign funding of the rebels came to an end. the european union responded very quickly to assad and said no political proposal could move forward until assad steps down. syrian president made no mention of that happening. jenna? stephanie, thank you very much. another major shooting to report from aurora, colorado. a standoff lasted several hours and a shoot-out ended after officers shot a man who barricaded himself in a house. police haven't released a motive. rescue crews are searching an area off the coast of venezuela for a private plane carrying the ceo of the mizoni fashion house.

four other people disappeared on friday shortly after taking off from the coastal resort island destined for caracas. they brought a budget friendly collection to target. in an squall act of sheer brilliance and stupidity, prisoners in brazil thought they had come up with a perfect way to escape. they convinced a neighborhood cat to drink a drill and saw taped to the cat's body. he was caught. omg, this is so embarrassing. my mom warned me about pranks like this. i can't believe i fell for it. that is the news. now back to lester. >> nobody was going to notice all that stuff. >> nobody can see me. there's nothing on my back. there's nothing on my back.

except for this drill, saw, and a couple screw drivers. >> thought the cat would have a perfectly good explanation. apparently not. dilan has our first check of the weather. good morning. >> he was wrapped up in tape. that hurts when you take it off. >> next time use velcro. >> thinking about the future. looking at a couple of storms. not many but a few weaker storms. heading into new england. a couple of snow showers in the snowbelts. rain moving through the mid atlantic, into the carolinas. that will be mostly a morning rain. we wil rain moving on, but still scattered showers south of san francisco and a few around the east bay hills. this will continue to head to the south during the day where the south bay will likely see a few scattered showers until about midday before skies clear later in the afternoon. mid-50s around santa rosa.

winds 15 to 25 today. breezy and cooler with showers late on wednesday. and that isis your latest forecast. lester? >> all right. now to a story that's rocking a small town in ohio. two high school football players accused of reigning a fellow teenager and that's not all. their friends were apparently joking about the whole thing on video and online. we get the story from ron allen in steubenville, ohio. >> hundreds of protesters converged on steubenville, demanding justice for a 16-year-old girl, raped by two high school football stars in august. the two young men are scheduled to stand trial next month. that doesn't satisfy the crowd. you it includes activists associated with anonymous, the internet based group known for hacking into government web sites. >> there was more than two kids

involved. the kids that have money in this town have not been arrested. >> outrage is growing because of tweets, video, pictures posted on social media from the night in question, showing other partygoers making fun of the female accuser. this is believed to show the girl unconscious, being carried by her alleged attackers. there are demands for more arrests and charges of a coverup to protect the town's beloved football team. the big red, a powerhouse, pride in a community hit by economic decline. >> you can hide no longer. >> some activists warned they will release private information about people who they think should be arrested. local police say they have no evidence to press charges against anyone else. but prosecutors brought in from out of town, because everyone here is so connected devoted to

high school football, say the investigation continues. >> it's not concluded and it is active and it's ongoing. >> the two defendants have entered pleas of not guilty. a lawyer claims all the information released on social media makes it impossible for the two defendants to get a fair trial. >> there's an atmosphere of fear and coercion. >> for "today", ron allen, steubenville,ville. more tonight on nbc unitedly news. president obama is headed back to washington after wrapping up his vacation in hawaii. there is a new congress waiting for him in the capital. the nation's capital. will they have the same old problems? david gregory is moderator of "meet the press". good morning. >> good morning, carrick qaa. >> the first fight is a familiar one, the debt ceiling. when you look at this new

congress, what will we see when it plays out? also a familiar scenario? >> well, i think there's so much division within the republican party. when you look at reaction to this fiscal cliff bill, a temporary measure and you see how it has torn the republican party apart, it begs the question what is going to change when it comes to the debt ceiling. the president state aid red line say he will not negotiate the debt ceiling. in 2011 they finally got a deal. america's credit rating was downgraded with them playing chicken one side on the other. he will be locked in with republicans over spending. now that they have given on the tax part of this there are so many fights ahead. >> when we look at future deal making, speaker boehner said i'm not going to do one-on-one negotiations with the president. how is that going to impact things? >> he became the negotiator with

the white house. but it begs the question, how much different senate republicans are than house republicans. and is the precedent for boehner putting a bill on the floor with the fiscal cliff bill ultimately passed by democrats rather than republicans, will that be how they move forward? there will be a price to pay as republicans want to think long and hard about holding on to the house in 2014. all of these members will be looking at these negotiations thinking ahead to the midterm race. >> take a look at vice president biden for a minute if you would. i was integral last week in getting this deal done. will we see a more prominent role heading forward? >> he had a role in negotiating with congress, national security. his most prominent role coming up is on gun control legislation. "washington post" reporting there's a mix of measures that they will pursue that his working group has studied. he's very familiar with the gun

control battles. i think that will be his primary area going into the second area. >> who is also coming up? >> the key voices on fiscal responsibility in washington. they will give me their take on this fiscal cliff deal and look ahead to the fights over the debt ceiling. >> looking forward to it. thank you. once again, lester. according to lance armstrong's twitter account, the former cycling champ is enjoying r and r in hawaii a day after "new york times" reported he's considering making a public admission about using performance-enhancing drugs. a confession of any kind could bring him even more trouble. >> throughout his celebrated career, champion cyclist lance armstrong vehemently denied allegations he was doping. >> have you ever, ever in the history of this race used performance-enhancing drugs. >> absolutely not. never. >> not once?

>> not once. >> last fall a report led to him being stripped of his were seven tour de france titles the "new york times" quotes sources as saying armstrong told associates and anti-doping officials that he is considering publicly admitting that he used banned performance-enhancing drugs and blood transfusions during his cycling career. >> right now i think he's suffering pretty badly from i'm not competing anymore syndrome. and he really wants to get back. the driving factor is he wants to compete in triathlons again and run in different events with his kids. >> he said there are no ongoing discussions with anti-doping agencies. he would not comment further. sports illustrated senior writer david epstein predicts if there is ever an admission it could be complicated. >> it doesn't mean he will be rein stated and have the ability

to compete again. it will increase his exposu popn several civil lawsuits as well. >> it would have to be very detailed. >> he would have to give information that would lead potentially to sanctions against doctors involved in the sport, to officials that govern cycling. >> outside armstrong's bicycle shop in austin, texas, there are mixed reactions to reports of a possible confession. >> if he admitted it and he's no longer doping, i don't see why he can't race. >> a lot of talk about what he might say but no word yet from armstrong himself. for "today", mark potter, nbc news, miami. it's now 14 minutes past the hour. again, here's erica. >> lester, thank you. it's been a rough few months for a couple on staten island. superstorm sandy destroyed their home of 43 years. adding insult to injury, as they are battling their insurance

company now, they are furious their home was shown in a television ad for allstate. here's michelle franzen. >> reporter: it is a few sheila and dominic still can't belive is real. >> it's our home. our white picket fence. >> reporter: the couple's staten island home where they lived more than 40 years and raised four children was destroyed by sandy. >> but the grandkids would come over and that was their clubhouse. they loved it. >> reporter: their possessions, mementos and investment gone. the couple says their insurance company, allstate, is refusing to pay their full claim. instead offering them a $10,000 payout for their house. >> we didn't sign it. we didn't cash it. we don't even want $10,000. that's a joke. >> reporter: at the same time allstate recently featured their destroyed home in a television ad, thanking employees who were also affected by the storm. >> some of them lost their

houses. >> they used our house like they were caring. this is not caring. this is a money thing. >> reporter: they say the insurance company concluded their home was damaged by flooding. they don't have flood insurance and say they canceled their policy several years ago. but they believe their home was damaged by wind not the storm surge. >> we know what our neighbor told us, that the wind hit it and knocked it down. >> reporter: a big difference that could determine what is covered under a standard home insurance policy. >> the two big disasters not covered, one is flooding and the other is earthquake. >> in a statement to nbc news, allstate says it continues to reach out to the trainas is discuss their concerns. it is our understanding trainas chose to drop their flood insurance policy before sandy struck. as for the allstate said it does

not reference them as customer or in any way imply they are satisfied with the status of their claim and regrets any concerned commercial caused them. meanwhile, they are staying with friends. family members create aid website so people can donate to help them rebuild their lives. >> i don't know where we're going to go. >> reporter: for "today", michelle franzen, nbc news, new york. up next, the very unlikely candidate to be the next tv reality star, right after this. [ nyquil bottle ] hey tylenol, you know we're kinda like twins. [ tylenol bottle ] we are?

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screen. we get the lowdown from kristen welker. >> reporter: the kardashians, honey boo boo, and now joe biden. >> anybody else want to be sworn in as a senator today? >> reporter: it is comments like that that compelled more than 1,000 people to logon to the white house's website petitioning for a c-span reality tv show starring the ever-entertaining and unpredictable joe biden. >> malarky, absolute malarky. >> reporter: maybe not. it went up after he gave one of his more unforgettable performances during the swearing-in ceremony. >> i want you next to me. i want you next to me. >> if you need any help, let me know. >> reporter: in the hours after the petition went up, people took to social media and weighed

in on some of the names for the show. literally joe, riden with biden, and biden time. it has at times backfired. >> a slip of the tongue. >> reporter: who could forget this infamous hot mike moment while congratulating the president on passage of the health care law and his version of pressing the flesh became easy fodder for comedians that couldn't resist poking fun at some of his most memorable moments from the campaign. >> this is a bunch of mularkey. >> what does that mean? >> its irish. >> no, irish means i smack that dumb look off your face. >> reporter: even those that don't agree with his politics enjoy watching it. >> this vice president gets made fun of but there is also a lot of affection for him. what would be better in a television show than a guy you can laugh at and a guy you can

laugh with. >> reporter: part of that appeal is just joe being joe. >> kristen welker, nbc news, washington. >> check your local listings. still ahead, "david letterman" in his most candid interview yet about his battle with depression and the guilt he felt after cheating on his wife. first, these messages. you, hang up first. no, you!! [ female announcer ] after school, get to pizza pleasin' faster than mandy can hang up on mr. monday. you hang up first. [ female announcer ] in just 60 seconds, you've got

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>> announcer: you're watching "today in the bay." good morning, everyone. 6:26 is the time this sunday morning. looking live out over san jose this morning. a purple tinge to the sky, at least according to that one camera we're looking at. enough of the storm and rain, good news. >> we're going to start to see the rain get out of south bay. the showers kind of reforming over the central bay. we've got the showers dropping in from the northeast, as the counterclockwise rotation shifts into central california. the showers you're seeing across the central bay and east bay hills will pivot down into the south bay later this morning. and as the low scoots into

southern california, that will shut down the rain chances for today. lingering showers until probably lunchtime. notice san jose in the south bay. clouds, a few isolated showers around los gatos. we see the warmer temperatures will be around santa rosa. we should see mid-50s, winds picking up 15 to 25 miles an hour. breezy and dry finish by this evening, and a dry start and warmer start to the week as well. new this morning, hockey fans across the country are celebrating this morning as the nhl and players association say they have reached a deal to end the lockout. it took 15 hours of talks starting yesterday in new york, and continuing through around 2:00 this morning to reach a verbal agreement on a tentative framework for a new collective bargaining agreement. that agreement must still be ratified by a majority of the league's owners and union members. the entire lockout lasted 113 days, and 625 regular season

games. over half the 2012-2013 season were canceled. there's word that the 48-game season could start as early as next week, but there's still plenty of scheduling issues to work out. >> everyone's obviously relieved that it's over and done with for all intents and purposes, and we're able to move on to what we all enjoy doing. >> hopefully within just a very few days, the fans canet back to watching people who are skating, not the two of us. >> you can bet that hockey back in the bay area will be thrilled this morning. without hockey, bars and restaurants empty that are usually busy before and after the games. some businesses were down anywhere from 40% to 50% since the lockout began. a number they hope now will turn around. coming up at 7:00, on "today

in the bay," a bay area lawmaker who is pushing for stricter gup control gets racist threats. what we know about the threats and how the lawmaker is handling them. that, and all your top stories at 7:00. right now, let's head back to the "today" show. [ female announcer ] pillsbury crescents on their own are fantastic but add some sauce, pepperoni and cheese and fold up the crescent dough...and presto! tuesday night just became crescent pizza pocket-tastic pillsbury crescents. let the making begin here's a better idea. pillsbury grands! flaky layers biscuits in just 15 minutes the light delicate layers

add a layer of warmth to your next dinner. pillsbury grands biscuits let the making begin. we're back on a sunday back on a sunday morning, january 6th, 2013. our thanks to fans joining us on a brisk new york city morning. i am lester holt, along erica hill, dilan dryer. >> tomorrow is the day, right? >> very soon we will soon hear wood chipping. >> it's had a good run. >> nice tree this year. >> it was a nice tree. >> we say good-bye to that. nice to have you here. still to come in this half hour, we'll talk about david letterman opening up to oprah winfrey about pretty permanent things,

including his depression. we will hear from that coming up. could kate middle ton's family be trying to cash in on her pregnancy? we'll let you be the judge. and al roker is here. my job is safe for the weekend. he's not going to talk about weather. he's going to discuss his battle with obesity. >> he's here-here. >> right there. >> like here. >> throw us the temperature. >> 82! >> can we go wherever it is 82. that would be great. >> looking forward to that. >> then, a small community in florida known as the psych ill capital of the world. i recently went down there. they knew i was coming an hour before i got there. they are all mediums or psychics, every single one of them. i'll tell you what happened when

i got a spiritual reading and a table-tipping seance. >> and one more check of the weather. >> i don't know how i'm going to do weather with al standing by. >> we removed him from the plaza. >> a pretty quiet day across the northeast. a couple weak storm systems. the heaviest of the rain will be out through basically the southeast. down into florida we are going to see some of the rain showers. also on the west coast, rain in san diego today. it does rain in san diego. snow in the mountains too. also looking for rain out in the pacific northwest. snow in idaho and montana. more heavy snow likely across idaho and montana. but the rest of the country, minus a couple showers, looks

quiet. that should last into and some purple tinted clouds there over san jose right now. a few sprinkles around san jose. rain still continues in parts of the bay area. you can see the system spilling showers right down south of san francisco, around cloverdale road and highway 1, and a few showers in the east bay. later this afternoon, it will turn breezy. drier and a bit warmer to start the work week. cooler for the second half of the week. >> that is your latest forecast. in an interview with oprah winfrey, funny man, david letterman opens up about some of the most controversial and emotional moments in his life. a rare glimpse into the life of a man most of us have followed nor years but know little about. in now, in all his splendor,

"david letterman." >> reporter: for more than 30 years, he has made us laugh. >> did the kids really enjoy the christmas activities? >> not really. >> reporter: the comedian used to answering questions now finds himself answering them to oprah. >> i have read about your struggle with depression, yeah. >> do you still get depressed? >> i never knew what depression was. i am kind of sad today. i am kind of blue today. this, i'm telling you, you get on an elevator and the bottom drops out. i went through this for about six months. >> reporter: in a sit-down with winfrey, set to air later today, letterman tells all, including speaking openly about his infidelity. in 2009 after a former cbs producer tried to blackmail letterman for $2 million. the then recently married talk show host revealed a string of affairs live on the air.

>> having living through that sex scandal. >> just to say sex scandal, you want to get through your whole life and not have the word sex scandal attached to your name. >> you didn't mapke it? >> did not make it. >> letterman who has a child with wife, regina lasco speaks openly of repairing his marriage. >> did you think she would stay with you through the whole thing? >> doesn't know. wasn't certain. >> did you have to sleep on the coach? >> i slept a wide variety of places. >> this is the worst super bowl party ever. >> letterman for years feuded with winfrey herself. >> now, dave, be nice. >> he is just saying that because i'm here. >> also spoke of his long-time rivalry with jay leno. >> i am happy to say, he is the funniest guy i have ever known. just flat out, therefore, the fact that he is also maybe the most insecure person i have ever

known, i could never reconcile that. >> a rare glimpse inside the life of a private man so many of us know. for "today," miguel almaguer, nbc news, los angeles. now, here is erica. >> lester, thanks. now, to london and criticism that kate middleton's parents may be trying to profit from her pregnancy. annabel roberts is in london. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, erica. well, the middletons have been running the family business for 30 years but some say following their daughter's marriage and pregnancy some of their merchandise is, well, awkward. >> they make a lovely couple. they are great fun to be with and we've had a lot of laughs tog. >> reporter: carol and mike middleton have watched proudly as their daughter grew up, found her prince and married him. throughout these years, they have run a mail order business selling party paraphernalia. it has made them a fortune. a line of baby shower products

is raising eyebrows. a new little prince and princess is written across them. some are asking if this is appropriate given the nation's future, little baby prince or prince ses is also their grandchild. >> some think this is a little bolder. people are thinking, hang on, she is going to be the future queen one day. it doesn't feel right that her mom and dad's companies are doing these ranges on prince and princesses. for them, that is what they do. prince william knew that is what they do when he started dating their daughter. >> reporter: when the queen marked her diamond jubilee, the nation celebrated with her. street parties were held across the country. the middletons took advantage of that occasion to sell juply themed party cakes. pippa middleton has dived into the parties with a book of how to celebrate. sales have been disappointing. she joked her next publication should be a different kind of

celebrations called bottoms up. >> she is one of the most famous women in the world for being the bridesmaid with the bottoms. unless she marries will, there is not that many hopes in terms of career prospects. kate's family business built the fortune that helped her come this far but it could become an embarrassment for her and her in-laws. >> reporter: further details of kate's pregnancy are eagerly awaited here in london. she has recovered from that early bout of morning sickness and should be well enough to celebrate her 31st birth day on wednesday. but, i understand, brother-in-law, prince marry will not be back from afghanistan in time to join the party. >> anabel roberts in london, thanks. seems like a bit of a stretch. most baby showers here have similar paraphernalia. up next, al roker talks about his public battle with losing weight and keeping it off. find out how he did it after these messages. u define your mo?

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after gastric bypass surgery ten years ago. in his new memoir, never going back, he explains how he conquered the battle of the bulge. al reslint sat down with nbc's chief medical correspondent, dr. nancy schneider man. >> reporter: ten years after undergoing gastric bypass surgery, al roker has finally shed the fat guy image. five years ago when his mother was sick in the hospital. his old habits came creeping back. he tournd junk food to cope with the pain. he gained 40 pounds. one thing you really drive home is that surgery is not the be all and end all? >> it is just another tool in the tool box to lose weight. you could eat through a bypass. >> and you have? >> and i've done it. >> here is what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> reporter: it was from that moment on that al changed his diet for good. he went on a 28-day detox plan cutting out caffeine, alcohol,

sugar, dairy and gluten. he lost 28 pounds in the first 28 days. >> i think most people can lose the weight. it is keeping the weight off. >> reporter: so how does he do it? al began a work-out routine called the slow method, exercise for 30 minutes three times a week. >> i'm so happy. >> reporter: al changed his diet to only whole, unprocessed foods high in protein and low in carbs. >> i don't want to do points. i don't want to do this. i don't want to do that. just tell me what i've got to eat. >> reporter: he has stuck to his new routine for the last four years and says he is never going back. >> al, good morning. nice to have you on a sunday. when i introduced this segment, we talked about your inspiration. we have a lot of people offering advice on this show. you are not really offering advice but more or less what i did. >> this is my path. everybody can find their own path. people said, well, you did a gastric bypass.

that's a cheat tichl. it is not how you get there but getting there and staying there. that's the hard part. the most advice i give is the people that love the people or those of us that suffer and struggle with our weight. back off. we don't need you nagging us. this isn't going to work and it is not going to happen for these folks that are suffering with their weight until they are ready for it. it is like almost any addiction. >> this was your decision and driven in large part by the criticism you receive. you talk about overeating and you made a lot of excuses. >> sure. i'm an emotional eater. i'm a stress eater. i eat when i'm happy. i eat when i'm sad. i have a problem with food. the only way to fight that is to eat less and exercise more. that's the bottom line. >> is it like being an alcoholic? do you still get in a room full of food and you want to have a cheeseburger? >> that's the difference between somebody who suffers from alcohol abuse or drug abuse as opposed to abusing food. you can go without drinking.

you can go without doing drugs. you have to eat. you have to still deal with food. it's like always going in there as an alcoholic in a bar. you have to deal with it. >> what's the pressure like? a lot of people lose weight and have their friends to deal with. you have the entire country watching you. they watched you lose this weight. do people root for you? >> in the book, there are people who are sabateurs, my mom, you have to lose weight. would you like some cake? we equate food and love. you feel that pressure. mine is no different than the average person, because that's their world. their world is their friends, family, coworkers who know that they are trying to lose weight and are watching everything they put in their mouth. >> you suffered a great deal of humiliation as you read this

book. you get personal. you talk about an embarrassing episode at the white house. i won't get too graphic. you were going to be able to control your bowels. >> yes. >> was there a low moment that triggered the change. >> i talk about my dad was dying of lung cancer. he said, look, we've gone around the block on this several times. you have to swear to me, you're going to lose weight, because i'm not going to be around to help you raise your kids. that brought me back. it was like, i can't lie to my dad who is dying. two months after he passed, i decided to go ahead and do the gastric bypass. >> you did the gastric bypass. what was the level of commitment afterwards? was it an immediate change of lifestyle? >> no. it took a while. you could still cheat in a sense because you have -- your body won't let you eat certain things and in only certain amounts. as i found out, eight years later when my mom got sick, i

was able to cheat and gain 40 pounds back. that was when i finally said, i've got to change everything i'm doing. i have made exercise part of my life. i watch you. i have worked out. i watch you work out. it is an amazing thing. you have to be committed to doing this and saying that you're important enough to put yourself first, to not push back your work-out, to not change what you're eating because it is not convenient for other people. >> it was fascinating to read that even on a road trip, you take the blender and all the things you want. i know, i fall off the rails the minute i leave town and go to a hotel. >> that's my weekneakness. i have to be even more vigilant. >> when you go out in public, do you hear people that say they miss the old al? >> you were funnier when you were fat. you were smarter when you didn't

open your mouth. >> how do you take that? >> people say what they want to say. i say, you know what, i'm sorry you feel that way but the good news is, that guy is never coming back, so hopefully, you are going to get used to me. >> we like this guy, the happy and healthy al. the memoir is called "never goin' back." jenna goes on assignment at a seance. first, these messages. ♪ aww man. [ male announcer ] returns are easy with free pickup from the u.s. postal service. we'll even drop off boxes if you need them. visit usps.com pay, print, and have it picked up for free. any time of year. ♪ nice sweater. thank you. ♪

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the psychic capital of the world, spirits are part of their daily lives. jenna went to find out about it. here is the deal. george colby founded the camp in 1893 claiming spirit guides told him to build a psychic center there. as it stands, it is still there today. >> reporter: so many questions coming here to kasadega, florida. >> what teams are many could go to the super poll? is this post sturdy enough to help me? it is a place where the paranormal is normal and where spiritualism is a spirited practice. today, nearly all of the town's residents are professional mediums and psychics. >> she says the energy is very clear. >> reporter: one of the medians felt she had a spirit connection. she said to me, you are highly

organized. you use it at work and in your personal life. a friend next to me started laughing because i'm known for my organizational skills. >> reporter: curiosity spiked. i wondered about my spirits. it seemed like they were a tad shy in front of a crowd. so i stopped by with joan piper. she specializes in one-on-one rideings. >> i have always seen and heard them. i don't know life without it. it would be too quiet. >> do you see people in this room? >> yeah. there are a lot of people here. >> you are kidding? >> no. >> fellow first-timer, grace has arrived the first time much like myself. >> skeptical. it is hard to believe that someone could know your future. >> that's okay. >> reporter: after her reading. >> i am more open-minded, because she seems to pinpoint some characteristics about myself that only my closest friends would know. >> reporter: time to see what my spirits had in store.

so joan took my hand. she wanted to feel my energy. right off the bat, she was on to something. >> oh, my goodness, gracious. >> there were a few hits. >> you could not not work. you could not. so much vocabulary. >> i get it. i talk a lot. >> you should be able to speak different languages. >> there was a miss. >> i feel like there was a grandmother that passed. on your dad's side. >> on my mom's side. >> reporter: this is awkward. medium, victor vogeniz has special looized in seances for over 40 years. he claims he can summon a spirit to move this table. >> i don't wear any rings or anything. there is nothing to catch there. i don't do anything that even gives a hint of fraud. i let people look at the bottom of the table. we have had this table come up, hit the ceiling and spin. that's what put the scratch

there. >> reporter: as i took a seat at my first table-tipping seance, i wasn't sure what to expect. >> if the table starts to move, you may have to get out of the way. >> reporter: after ten minutes, the table slid right into nigh ribs. apparently, a hug from the spirits. >> a big bear hug. >> grandma? maybe it is my grandpa mack. >> there you go. >> really, my grandpa. >> talk to him. >> papa, is that you. >> did he pass from something in here? >> yeah. he had lung cancer. >> i will pick up sometimes this confirmation. i was having trouble breathing. i almost want to be physically ill. >> if you are going to be physically ill, you should do it in that direction. >> reporter: the table rushed for our nine-scope cameras. so my producer skeped in to keep them from getting knocked over. >> maybe my grandmother or my brother-in-law, zach. >> reporter: with that, the tables tips.

no matter what was moving the table, my first journey to the other side is definitely one i will never forget. >> the question is, do i believe it? i spent an entire day there. do i believe it? i don't but sort of -- i don't know. >> you are keeping your options open. >> i'm keeping my options open. >> a little freaked. >> i did try to move that table and it was super heavy. you go online and read these things about how tables can be moved. >> i was a little creeped out watching that. >> i don't know. i can't handle that kind of stuff. >> you didn't feel grandpa mack in the room? >> i didn't. i'll tell you this. they really believe it. it doesn't seem like an act to them. they are truly thinking, hearing, believing, all of it. >> what do you say? >> yes. >> you do? >> you guys believe in ghosts? >> totally.

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that does it for us this sunday morning. thanks for spending some time with you this morning i'll see